Monday, 23 July 2012

Last August, I attending a week long nature immersion workshop that changed the way I teach, interact with my community and with my family.
I am now part of this movement across Ontario that is connected internationally to other regional groups. So I thought I would share the information below with you and perhaps you will understand a bit more of what I am talking about when I mention the Art of Mentoring written together by myself and my very good friend Kevin MacGregor.

CONNECTING TO NATURE BUILDS RESILIENT
COMMUNITIES

Students
rioting, elders alone across the country, adults struggling to achieve the
economic dream, children committing suicide: are these the signs of a healthy
community? What does a healthy
community even look and feel like?

Across
Ontario there is a movement afoot to address these very questions. People of all ages are throwing out
their TV remotes and game consoles to head into the woods ready to discover
what it feels like to be deeply connected to the natural world and to discover
who they really are. People are
not going alone but bringing with them their children, their teenagers, and
their seniors, to discover what community is like when everyone is a valued
member of the ecosystem.

Art of Mentoring Ontario (AoM ON) is part of an international movement almost 30 years old that uses ancient methods to integrate nature
education, community building, personal development and ecological stewardship
into a five-day workshop August 20-25. Through hands-on learning, adult
participants will experience a nature-based village and gain the knowledge,
tools, and skills needed to create a powerful culture of natural connection in
the home, workplace and community. Concurrent children’s camps, teen’s camp and
elder’s training program will be woven into the fabric of the adult experience
with intergenerational programming and nightly sharing of stories.

Janice,
a 2010 participant shares her experience “With out a
doubt this is an exceptional workshop it combines the two most important tenets
I strive to live by; being deeply connected to nature, and embracing the human
spirit. I’m looking forward to next year.”

The Art of
Mentoring movement in Ontario was organized by members of the P.I.N.E. Project
in Toronto, various nature educators in Ontario and is supported by
international visionaries such as Jon Young (8 Shields Institute, California) and
Mark Morey (Institute for Natural Learning, Vermont

Another exciting
part about this year’s program is Jon Young, co-founder of the Art of
Mentoring, prolific author and storyteller will be part of the Ontario
program. Jon has been a leader in
this field for thirty years and brings a very experienced, unique, and fun
presence to this years program.

Followers

Follow by Email

About Me

I have a passion for mud, dirt, nature, and love bugs. Always on the look out for the next adventure in nature. I love exploring with kids and discovering through their eyes. You will find me usually in a child-like state, the only way to live.

Have fun outdoors, and if you are not getting dirty, you are not having any fun